Does HD increase signal range?

[reast]

I'm not in the industry -- just a radio listener. I live 50 miles south of Indy, and usually lose WIBC when it powers down in the evening. I'd like to be able to catch the evening sports shows, Pacer games, etc. I can access their signal via the internet, but it's a little inconvenient.

I see from their website that they now broadcast in HD digital. Does HD enhance range such that I might be able to receive WIBC in the evenings?

 

[RadioRob]

The nighttime signal won't change in HD, the signal pattern remains the same.



> I'm not in the industry -- just a radio listener. I live 50
> miles south of Indy, and usually lose WIBC when it powers
> down in the evening. I'd like to be able to catch the
> evening sports shows, Pacer games, etc. I can access their
> signal via the internet, but it's a little inconvenient.
>
> I see from their website that they now broadcast in HD
> digital. Does HD enhance range such that I might be able to
> receive WIBC in the evenings?
>
<P ID="signature">______________
The radio business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There's also a negative side.</P>

 

[Kent]

> I'm not in the industry -- just a radio listener. I live 50
> miles south of Indy, and usually lose WIBC when it powers
> down in the evening. I'd like to be able to catch the
> evening sports shows, Pacer games, etc. I can access their
> signal via the internet, but it's a little inconvenient.
> I see from their website that they now broadcast in HD
> digital. Does HD enhance range such that I might be able to
> receive WIBC in the evenings?

In a word, no. Digital is designed to replicate the existing coverage of a station, not expand it. AM is also presently not operating in digital mode at night due to interference issues. With AM digital, you may find much the opposite with more interference rather than less as IBOC digital becomes more widespread. On AM, the digital signal is much wider, which causes problems on the two adjacent signals both sides of the main frequency. In other words, you may have more interference because 1080 from Louisville will be wide enough to cause problems on 1060 and 1070 as well as 1090 and 1100. Of course, you won't notice these signal issues if you have an HD radio, but it will cause havoc for your analog receiver.